Schedule for 7 Week Old

At 7 weeks, it's way too yound to try and develop a schedule. You are there for them, not the other way around.

If you are breastfeeding, it's important to continue to feed on demand. I have no idea about formula because I believe the stuff is for people who CAN'T breastfeed and have no other option.

As for sleep... pretty much the same thing. I've only read one book on sleep training and it says to start no earlier than 12 weeks. Little babies will sleep when they are tired and ready to sleep.

the term i would use and recommend is routine instead of schedule. here's just a suggestion of what your day could consist of. but bottom line, feed when you notice early hunger cues, finish when signs of fullness and no more hunger cues are noticed, when approaching bedtime, do the same things in the same order every evening. if you travel or find that you will be spending the night in environments other than home, make your routine something you can do anywhere.

breakfast when hunger cues given
tummy time
snack time and probably ready for a nap
lunch time
singing/dancing/story time/tummy time
snack and nap
dinner
bath
story
snack
oral hygiene
bed

since you're baby's only 7 weeks old, you'll be feeding more often than the meal and snack times I've listed. give your baby as much food as s/he wants (when breastfeeding).

feel free to email me if you have questions clarifying what I mean by hunger cues, signs of satisfaction, oral hygiene, or anything else.

congratulations on your new baby!!!

For my two babies, their schedule was something like this at 7 weeks:

They usually woke up for the day sometime between 6 and 7 am. Have a diaper change, feeding, then short wake time (maybe 1 -1 1/2 hours) then down for a nap, and I made an effort to repeat that routine every 3 hours throughout the day. I had to be flexible, the first few months were really tough for me with both of my babies. I tried to work the routine so I could feed them and have them down for the night at 8 pm (as they got older, I gradually moved it back to 7 pm), then I would wake the baby and feed him before I went to bed between 10 and 11 pm. Then they might wake up around 3 am for a feeding (both of my babies began to sleep through the night around this age and didn't need the 3 am feeding much longer). Then wake up between 6 and 7 am and do the same thing over again!

A lot of people say you can't put a baby on a schedule. It was definitely a work in progress for the first couple of months, but I found it very helpful, and freeing in a sense because I could plan my day and know (somewhat) what to expect. When I could run an errand and what I needed to bring with me, etc.

By the time my babies were about 3 months old, the routine was pretty well set. I think feedings were about every 4 hours, after each feeding was playtime, then naptime, and they were such happy, healthy, well-rested babies.

Enjoy!

At this age, I wouldn't worry so much about a schedule and just repond to baby. Feed on demand, etc..

Two great books to use as guidelines are The Baby Book by Dr. Sears and What to Expect in the First Year (not sure who the author is on this one).

Congratulations on your new baby!
M.

i would think,7 weeks is pretty young for any type of schedule. They still need to nurse every 2 hours, more or less. They pretty much tell you what they need at that age. Sleep, nurse, change the diaper.

What is a good schedule?? There is no schedule. Your baby is changing and growing so fast that a schedule is redundant. It is not uncommon for them to go through a growth spurt and nurse (what feels like) continuously! Even when they sleep and nurse, it's to prepare your body to create more milk. So, to answer your question, when baby cries to be fed-feed him/her. My son generally would eat for 30 min, each side and sleep for about an hour and a half...but like I said, there were growth spurts about every week and all rules went out the window : ) Try a schedule in another month or so.

If you are nursing, it should be on demand. You need to get your milk production established.

It really depends on different things: BF or bottle, weight of your LO. My son was born quite large so at 7weeks he about 15lb.

We continued with the routine that the nurses set you up with in the hospital when we got home: feed every 2.5-3hours. After his 1month appt his ped said he's so big you can move to 4hr. So we did and guess what he did great on it and started STTN by 5weeks. But it really depends on how big your LO is and how much they eat during the day for that to happen. I was an exclusive pumper because actual nursing doesn't work for everyone, so I knew exactly how much he took in everyday.

At 7weeks I would get him up, change him, feed him, burp him, play with him for about 40minutes: I never let him stay up longer than a full hour, otherwise he got over tired, then swaddle and put him back to bed. We would rinse and repeat every 4hours. The awake time gradually grew longer and longer, just follow their cues on this and adjust accordingly.

But a Eat, Play, Sleep routine of every 3-4hrs is perfectly workable for a 7week old. I even know plenty of moms who exclusively breastfed who did it and their babies and their supply were great.

Good luck and if you have any questions let me know.

He is definitely not too young for a schedule...you need it and so does the baby. I am a Baby Wise book fan too. It is by Gary Ezzo.

Your baby is way too young for any type of schedule. Babies should be fed on demand, and they will sleep when they are tired. Easy! Your "job" is to tune in to your baby's cues and provide what is needed when it is needed. Sure, there are books out there that tout a multitude of schedules, each supposedly the best - baloney! Don't waste your time and money. Develop your own motherly instincts and be there for your sweet little baby.

My kids used to eat every 3 hours.But one ate every hour and a half

Hi Leah, there is not strict schedule fora 7 week old baby, they fall a sleep, and sleep of and on through out the day, I have a 7 week old in my daycare, and she basically eats every 2 1/2 to 3 hours, sometimes more, no 2 days are exactly the same, when she wakes up I change her, feed her, play with her, this is what I do through out the day, her mom tells me she already sleeps through the night, and she has to wake her in the morning to bring her to my house. J.

My heart goes out to you - I found age 6-9 weeks the hardest (I have a 3 year old and 3 month old). I agree, the best you can hope for is a routine, but no schedule yet. Hang in there!

read the book "on becoming baby wise" by dr. Gary ezzo
that book saved my life and continues to save my life. get it, you won't regret it!

Feed/nurse on demand. About very 2-3 hours at most... if breastfeeding, some babies even need to nurse every hour. This is common as well.

As for sleep... your baby is very young, a newborn... they typically sleep/nap a lot.

I REALLY believe that a "schedule" for a baby this young is too early. I would wait until baby is about 5-6 months old.

Typically, a baby this young has a pattern of:
wake, feed/nurse, awake time, feed/nurse, nap/sleep. And repeat.
Even a diaper change and a bath is an "activity."

the window of "awake time" for a newborn is typically about 2 hours. Then they get tired again.

I recommend the book "Secrets of The Baby Whisperer- how to calm,connect,and communicate with your baby" by Tracy Hogg. Or the book "What To Expect The First Year" by Arlene Eisenberg.

Remember, that each baby is different...and with their own "pattern." Baby/newborns must be fed on demand...sometimes they are hungrier than at other times. Even during the night if they wake... feed her/him. At this age, you do not deny a feeding if that is what they need.

Normally, at this age as well...they are still getting used to sleeping...napping. They may not have a "pattern" yet either & are still getting used to "day" and "night" times. You need to read their "signals' as to when they are tired or hungry.

For me, at this age with my kids, I nursed on demand...throughout entire day and night. They also napped a lot.

All the best,
Susan

Hi Leah -
I agree with the Moms who suggested a baby-guided schedule with baby guided feeding (a breastfed baby should nurse 8-12 times in a 24 hour period until they are satiated).

**Please** consider looking into some of the comments and research done on the "on becoming Babywise" book before trying that method. You will think twice. The books' author is a pastor with no medical background and his book has no basis in science. His recommendations go against the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Here is just one of many articles.
http://www.ezzo.info/Aney/aneyaap.htm

Best of luck with your little sweetie. Your baby's rhythm with regards to feeding and sleeping will establish as time passes.
:) A.